The longer people are married, the less they date. At least that's what some statistics that I just made up seem to suggest.

I'm certain that if there were a nationwide study of couples from all walks of life with an enormous sample group that offered data that was sure within + or- 3 percentage points, this is what the findings would show: We date a lot to make someone fall in love with us. We date less once they do. It just seems reasonable and accurate based upon what I witness in the hundreds of couples I'm around on a regular basis. It also seems true in the marriage found at my house.

This is something we must keep working at if we hope to enjoy the married life that God has given us.

Since it is Saturday and I'm in the middle of painting my daughter's room (and I have a sort-of date tonight), I will stop pontificating and let Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle do the talking today. On his blog, he offers some great Date Night Tips. I particularly like numbers 1, 9, 10, and 12.

If your dating life is on life support, pick a few of his tips that get you thinking and make a commitment to do something about it next weekend. Because I hate to break it to you: eating a bunch of free samples at Costco on a Saturday night does not count as a dinner date. Just in case you were wondering.